Premier refuses to halt farm sale with ICAC link

The New South Wales Premier has rejected Opposition calls to halt the sale of a property linked to a corruption investigation.

The ABC revealed on Friday that former union official John Maitland has put his cattle farm near Kempsey, on the state's mid-north coast, up for auction.

The property is linked to an upcoming prove by the state's Independent Commission Against Corruption.

The farm was purchased by Mr Maitland with the proceeds of NuCoal shares sold when the company purchased Doyles Creek Mining.

Mr Maitland was the chairman of Doyles Creek Mining.

Opposition Leader John Robertson says Premier Barry O'Farrell has a duty to intervene to stop the sale until the ICAC investigation is completed.

"These are serious allegations that are being made before the ICAC. Taxpayers deserve to have their interests protected and a freeze on these assets is something that the Premier should be looking at," Mr Robertson said.

"That's why I think urgent and immediate advice should be sought by him.

"Taxpayers of New South Wales rightly deserve to have their interests protected and the Premier has a responsibility to do just that."

But Mr O'Farrell's office has issued a statement that rejects Mr Robertson's call.

"The Crime Commission has existing powers to freeze assets and it is monitoring the ICAC proceedings closely," the statement says.

"The Premier does not intend to interfere with the operations of the Crime Commission."